The Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch
The Ask
To analyze the history of Abercrombie & Fitch, focusing on its progression from the 1990s until the present.
-
Abercrombie & Fitch started as a provider of outdoor gear, eventually falling into the lucrative teen market of the 90s & early 2000s. Into the 2010s, there was a shift in consumer preferences leading to the eventual rebrand known to the market today.
-
Abercrombie & Fitch came under scrutiny many times while being run by Michael Jeffries, all being documented by various news outlets (ie. BOF, ELLE, Harper’s BAZAAR). Many of these scandals centered around racist and sexist stereotypes, a lot of which were overlooked until far beyond their years.
-
The paper itself centers around the case study written by Harvard Business Publishing, which discussed the implications of the brand being so exclusive. In this, we see how A&F actively contributed to discrimination on the basis of age, gender, size, ethnicity, and religion.
Process
Outcome
By observing how Abercrombie & Fitch has changed within the last couple of decades, we see the evolution of a brand that has gone from exclusive to inclusive.
It is undeniable that the brand’s comeback was an amazing accomplishment, providing a lesson for brands on the power of corporate social responsibility and rebranding as a whole.
